04x05 - Fire on the Mountain

[bunniefuu]

[ birds chirping ]

[ thunder rumbling ]

trenton: There's a
big storm coming in.

[ thunder crashing ]

it looks like there
might be a fire.

Jennifer: Are you serious?

We should be ready to bail if --

holy [bleep]

narrator: In the world's
harshest environments,

two experienced survivalists

put their skills to
the ultimate test

without food, water, or clothes.

Oh, my gosh. Oh.

Now, in the northern
indian hills of udhampur,

these strangers
have to work together

to survive for 21 days...

Jennifer: You're a lunatic.

captions paid for by
discovery communications

just when you
think you've made it

to the top of the mountain,

it just keeps going and going.

My name's trenton.
I'm 35 years old.

I work as a full-time paramedic,
and I'm from missoula, montana.

I grew up in rural west
virginia playing in the woods

and started practice in
primitive survival skills

by the time I was
an early teenager.

Narrator: Because
of his years of pri

experts assigned trenton
a primitive survival rating,

or psr, of 7.9.

Really exciting to be getting to
put years, decades of practice,

you know, to the test.

Ai!

Oh, my goodness.

My name is jennifer,

and I'm kind of new
to the survival scene.

I don't claim to be an expert,

but I'm smart, I'm tough,
and I'm a team player.

I hope to learn a
lot from my partner,

and I hope he learns
something from me.

Narrator: Despite
her limited experience,

jen's testing revealed excellent
social and team-building skills,

and she earns a
starting psr of 6.4.

Jennifer: As long as I
make it to the location,

I'm confident in my ability
to make it the 21 days.

That really is a
very long way down.

Narrator: In the far
northwest corner of india,

jen and trenton
are being inserted

high above the steep
valley region of udhampur.

Extremely hot and dry by day,

the exposed ridgeline
offers little protection

from the frigid night time winds

and sudden, violent
thunderstorms.

Gray langur monkeys and
leopards prowl the mountainside,

and the dreaded black scorpion

causes hundreds of
deaths in india each year.

Trenton: I like people.

I just like being around people

who are very competent
at what they do,

and if not, we'll make due.

Oh, my goodness,
this is so uncomfortable.

[ laughs ]

I've never in my life imagined
doing something like this.

Oh, my god.

But this is my first real chance

to prove myself
as a survivalist.

I feel like it's going
to make me stronger

and more confident

just knowing how
far I can push myself.

[ laughs ]

ow.

Hello.

[ laughs ] hello.

Hi. I'm jen.

Hi, jen. I'm trenton.

Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.

Here we are. We're in india.

It's beautiful.

It is.

Yes, the weather is fantastic.

It's not too hot.

No, some bugs on my butt.

Yeah. But other than that.

Flies on my vag*na
are a new sensation.

Yeah.

Uh...

[ laughs ] so, that's random.

Yeah.

I'm stoked.

Here's our bags.

Cool, let's look.

Trenton: She seems nice.

I mean, of course,
yeah, she's a pretty girl,

but otherwise, we'll kind
of have to wait and see

what she's got for skills.

So, what'd you bring?

I have a pot as
my survival item.

Awesome.

I think that will help with
the purification of water

and make things a lot easier.

Yeah, awesome.

So, I have a kukri.

My survival tool is just
a nice nepalese machete

that a really good
friend of mine made.

Well, I have the map.

Narrator: At a starting
elevation of 9,000 feet,

jen and trenton must
continue up along the ridge

in search of one of the few
fresh water holes in the area.

There, they hope to
make camp and a fire

to withstand the
extreme cold of night.

The sun is hot!

Yeah, I know.

I'd like to get out of it here.

Ow.

Jennifer: The pine needles
stick right into your feet,

and the thorns
are pretty horrific.

Ow.

So, one thing, if it really
does start bothering you,

and please forgive
me if I'm, like,

doing the teacher thing.

Oh, I hope to learn
a bunch from you,

so please do not feel
like you're annoying me.

I'm easy to get along with.

Cool, good.

I think I am.

[ monkey chittering ]

look at that huge guy. Whoa!

Holy [bleep]

I'm not gonna be
eating monkeys, so --

oh, there's another one.

Narrator: Gray langur
monkeys in this area

are known to carry rabies
and japanese encephalitis

and become aggressive
if they feel threatened.

Wow.

[bleep] that was --

we're not in montana anymore.

[ bird screeches ]

look at that. It's a
big water source.

Well, it's still kind
of funky, but --

I'm thinking...

It's definitely water, right?

...Where's there's
water, there's animals.

Yeah, and if they're
coming in to feed,

it really is a hunting option.

There's tadpoles. There's frogs.

It's a watering hole
for many animals,

so I mean, it's
definitely, I think,

the life source of this area.

I'm gonna mud up. Are you in?

Definitely a little burnt.

Trenton: The mud'll create
a barrier between our skin

and the ultraviolent
rays of the sun,

and possibly retain
some moisture.

And that's good because
it really is so dry up here.

We're gonna be best friends.
We're beyond handshakes now.

[ laughs ]

I'll let you get
your butt cheek.

[ laughs ] thank you.

I just stupidly got more sun
than I should have let myself,

so I'm a little worn out,
but we're doing pretty good.

This would probably be
our best bet, maybe try to...

Yeah, I think you're right.

...Set up shop around here

and just be wary of the monkeys.

They're a strong animal

and definitely not something
that I want to mess around with

'cause they seem
a little curious

as to what we're doing.

So I'm just afraid that
they're going to be aggressive

because we're in their territory

and because they have
young ones with them.

We're gonna need all this
debris for our shelter tonight.

And then we're gonna
change gears into fire making

just to be able to
start hopefully drinking

some water here relatively soon.

Jennifer: I think that trenton
is kind of a little possessive

over his survival tool.

He made me a stick instead
of letting me use the knife.

Let's see, this -- I'm
glad I brought this.

My survival tool is the
tool I've always wanted.

It's really important to me.

Until I see what
kind of skills she has,

I'm really not sure I
can trust her with it.

So, I'm gonna have to go
get some more materials to --

I will be back.

I will start digging.

Cool, all right, sorry.

The roots are making it a
little rough as you get lower,

but this is what I got.

Neither of us
brought a fire starter.

So, I'm kind of
put to the test here.

All right, let's see here.

We've got a coal.

Got your bird's nest ready?

[ blowing ]

I am so happy you're my partner!

You get a round of applause,
my friend, a round of applause.

Trenton: Let's review
water purification

and just make sure we're
on the same page, so --

say, at least 10
minutes of boiling.

You think?

As long as you bring
it to a rolling boil,

it should k*ll all pathogens
that we're worried about.

Boiling kills the bacteria,
but it's still pretty filthy.

If you're not sure,
always go 10 minutes.

I think if we wait 10 minutes

in a smaller
container like this,

we're gonna lose a lot.

Why risk it?

10 minutes is gonna k*ll
anything that's in there.

I don't want to be told
how to do something

that I know how to do.

Well, the 10-minute
mark sterilizes water,

so that's where the
10-minute number comes from.

Jennifer: Right.

But we don't
drink sterile water.

We drink just potable
water, so I'm not worried.

That's your call.

[ sighs ]

here we go.

[ sipping ]

there's god knows
what in that water,

and there's bacteria.

There's e. Coli,

there's probably
parasites from the monkeys

and so many different
things that could just k*ll you.

Narrator: Coming up...

Jennifer: I'm gonna p--

oh.

Trenton: You don't
even really move.

You just stay here.

You're a lunatic.

[ birds chirping ]

here we go.

There's god knows
what in that water.

So many different things
that could just k*ll you.

I mean, yeah, I kind of thought

it would have
some foul taste to it.

But it actually, like --
pretty pleasant, I don't know.

I mean, pleasant isn't a
word I would use to describe it.

Oh, wicked cold out there.

Yeah.

My toes are freezing,

so I am using a hot rock
from the fire to warm them up.

I feel like we're both
just tired and miserable.

I'm so cold.

Trenton: Night one
was a long night.

You know, we did
a quickie shelter,

which I think
was the right idea,

and I've slept in pine
needles many times.

Turns out, I haven't
done it completely naked,

and I didn't sleep.

I'm gonna p--

[ coughs ]

I woke up this morning
around 5:00 a.M.,

and wasn't feeling
super awesome,

and then I ended up throwing up.

Trenton: So, I think she got

maybe a little bit acute
mountain sickness,

and then I think
she's dehydrated,

and the dehydration,
the irony is,

it makes you nauseous and
then vomit up what you have.

I feel terrible that
I'm so sick, though.

My partner's feeling ill,

so that I don't have
a hand to help me,

but I've started to
reconstruct the shelter,

hoping that we
both sleep better,

and I'm doing it by myself.

Jennifer: I'm still headstrong.

I'm still in the
game, but I just --

I have to feel better
than this tomorrow.

Okay.

[ spitting ]

doing okay?

Yeah.

Do you feel nauseous right now?

No, what do you need?

I was just wondering if --

jennifer: I'm worried my
partner is a little disappointed.

Just, you know,
his body language

and his posture is
definitely changing a little bit,

and I'm a little worried
about disappointing him.

Jennifer: I feel better.

That's good.

I feel anxious 'cause of
things that need to get done.

You're doing an
awesome, awesome job.

You don't have to
be busy, busy, busy.

Trenton: I'm just
more tired today,

and I'm kind of just
operating somewhat solo.

Jennifer: I feel
terrible that I'm so sick,

but I'm trying to do my part.

But I have yet to have
access to that knife.

This is my knife.

This plant here, the root
can be used like sugar cane.

You just gnaw on it.

Hey, trenton?

Trenton: Yo.

I know you're kind
of hanging onto that --

I definitely need that knife.

I appreciate you
making this for me, but --

is it is just rock-hard
dirt, though?

Fine, fine. I'll just try to --

we're both using my
pot for multiple things,

and he won't let
me touch his knife.

Jennifer: Is digging with
that good for the blade?

Are you calling
this digging, or --

yes.

Uh...

Are you trying to get back at me

for not wanting
you to dig with it?

It was a little -- a little jab.

There's no rocks in
this. That's the difference.

[ wind howling ]

[ thunder rumbling ]

it's gonna rain.

If you look over there,

it's just super dark and cloudy,
and you can hear the thunder.

I'm gonna go collect firewood.

It sounds like
you're probably not --

I'm pretty low right now.

Okay.

Trenton: It's frustrating
'cause there's a bunch of stuff

I need to do to just
maintain what we have.

It's definitely one
of those situations,

be really easy to get resentful.

Oh, boy.

[ thunder rumbling ]

jennifer: How do you
think that's gonna hold up

if it rains?

What do you mean? Getting wet.

I don't know.

Do you want to start
breaking it up and putting it in?

Sure.

Listening to someone
else's bitching and griping

about all the
work that I've done

is [bleep] annoying,

and that is gonna
have to change.

[ thunder rumbling ]

[ thunder crashes ]

I feel like this wood
is just too damp,

and it's just not
going to stay lit.

Jen, if you would just
pick up [bleep] firewood,

I wouldn't have to do it all.

Okay, trenton. Well,
you know what?

Go get some [bleep]
firewood in the rain

like I just went and got
in the [bleep] rain, yeah.

Thank you, trenton.

Really. You're awesome.

I have sat here and told you

what an awesome
job you're doing.

What an awesome job
you're doing the whole time.

You sit here and b*tch.

I haven't sat here and bitched.

I said I'm trying
to be positive.

So, don't sit here and
get pissed off at me

when you won't give
me the freakin' knife.

I am literally going
to take the knife.

You don't need the knife.
I don't need the knife?

I don't need the knife
to get firewood, trenton?

Are you out of your mind?

Lookit, all this [bleep] here

is all the stuff we've
been burning all morning.

[bleep] that I went...
Where did you --

...And broke off branches
right under the [bleep] tree

you pee in every couple hours.

[bleep] break a branch
off and bring it inside.

You don't even really move.

Well, what would
you like me to do?

Because everything you've
done so far, you had a knife.

You are the most selfish
person I have ever met in my life.

Okay, I'm gonna leave, then.

[ thunder crashes ]

[ thunder rumbles ]

jennifer: You are the
most selfish person

I have ever met in my life.

Jennifer: I feel like both of
our intentions for being here

are totally different.

Mine is to prove
things to myself

and do as well as I can,

and I feel like that's not
something that he cares about.

We should end up
being the best of fiends

knowing that we both
survived through hell,

and I just don't see
that happening at all.

Trenton: I really wished the
argument hadn't got that heated.

I mean, I hate to be the
guy that bottles stuff up,

which I can be, I know.

So, I feel like we need to
talk and work things out.

Hi, jen.

So, the thing is, I can get
frustrated and whatever.

It's just hard because this
is such a bizarre experience.

It's really hard work, and
it's really hard mentally.

But I feel like I do have
legitimate complaints.

I get that, you
know, you feel like

you are doing a
majority of the work,

and I've told you that to
your face, how many times

that you're doing
a kick-a*s job.

Even last night, like --

I'm trying, trenton.

I am doing things.

I am getting
firewood, as well.

These don't have
to be arguments.

[ sighs ]

I just get hyper-focused
on just our needs.

Well, this is what
we got right now.

I'm good. Okay.

You?

No, I'm good.

Okay.

I know I'm not a great
person in all realms,

and yeah, I need to be more
patient and more forgiving,

but it's hard for me.

Narrator: Over
the next three days,

jen's strength
slowly starts to return,

and the survivalists
are finally able

to focus more on food.

Jennifer: So far,
that's not so many.

Trenton: The hardest
part of this environment is

we're on a ridgeline.

I mean, there's just
not a lot up here.

But I've been watching
the birds here --

a lot of bird activity.

I think I'm gonna make
a cage-type bird trap.

It's appetizing for me.
I'd fall for it at this point.

Whoa.

That is a scorpion.

Fat scorpion.

Holy cow.

What's up, dude?

Narrator: The sting of
this tiny black scorpion

can lead to paralysis and
can be fatal if untreated,

but it also could provide
a meal of 240 calories.

Trenton: He's a
little lobster of sorts.

That's like straight-up protein.

Look what came to visit.

Lunch time? Do
you want to try one?

Sure.

Oh, my.

I'm afraid to eat
certain things.

Not necessarily because
it's a bug or whatever,

but it definitely
makes me fearful

after how sick I was on day 2.

Trenton: He looks quite juicy.

Did it ooze? No.

Narrator: Trenton has
removed the stinger

where most of the
scorpion's venom is found.

Cooking it is an
extra precaution,

as exposure to
heat should render

any of the remaining
poison harmless.

Hmm.

It's not so bad.

It's crunchy.

Yeah, I like it.

Jennifer: I think
we're getting along

a little bit better.

He did not have to
go venture out today,

but you know, I
really needed protein.

Trenton: She's
doing what she can,

and part of me just realizes,

like, anyone who would
come out and do this,

you know, gets points with me.

I'm very thirsty,

and I'm hoping that the
temperature just warms up

a little bit,

and we can maybe get
two solid hours of sleep.

It's just harder to get
up and go get water,

get up and go get
firewood, energy wise.

Well, I am suddenly
very distinctly aware

of my weight loss today.

It's kind of scaring
the [bleep] out of me.

We're doing good.

Yeah. Could be skinnier.

Could be thirstier.

Yeah.

Jennifer: We're both
just so weak and starving,

but I feel like I'm trying to
be positive for both of us.

Just wondering what
in the hell I can k*ll.

[ laughs ]

I guess I should just
sit at the water hole.

I mean, I haven't hunted at all.

Can I use the knife
while you're gone?

Well, I want to...

Okay, why not?

[ laughs ]

I appreciate it. Yeah.

Holy moly, like, I
really am shocked.

Sit's the first time I've
used trenton's knife.

Trenton: Standing
here in the water

for really long periods of time

waiting for frogs
requires mental focus

that I'm very much lacking
at this point in the game.

I think I just
heard the trap fall.

Forbid I lose
something that's in here.

I can't see.

Nothing under it.

It might have just
been the wind.

Jennifer: How you feeling?

Low.

It's just hard to think, like,
how am I going to keep going

eight more days like this?

I feel like I'm paying dues
or something, I don't know.

Jennifer: I'm a little
concerned about trenton.

For him to kind
of hit a low today,

everything kind of
finally caught up with him,

and, you know,
a little concerning.

Bugs, insects, arachnids,
scorpions, berries.

That's not enough.
You need more.

There's an eagle
flying very high.

I bet he's had, like,
meat today or carrion.

Be delicious.

[ bug buzzing ]

oh, my god. This is gonna
drive me [bleep] insane.

It's [bleep] hot out here.

This is me begging,
a.K.A., prayer.

I just don't think that I
can keep going like this.

[ bird chirping ]

[ sighs ]

narrator: Two weeks with
no significant source of protein

has left jen and trenton
so weak and malnourished

that trenton resorts to
hunting bugs and crickets

as a means to survive.

Jennifer: Hey, trenton?

Trenton: Yeah?

Was your bird trap up or down?

Oh, my god.

There's a bird in there.

It's even one of the doves.

I'm so thankful.

[ sighs ] I might actually cry.

I might have a cry here.

Where is it?

The one bird is just,
like, mentally lifesaving

if not, you know,
the physical part.

Oh, my god.

Hi, buddy.

What's your plan of attack here?

I'm gonna just pop his head.

[ slurping ]

ugh.

Are you drinking that blood?

Sorry, I didn't
plan on doing that.

I will say, that was
pretty gruesome,

but I'm very happy it happened.

It's not the biggest guy.

Hey.

But I'm gonna eat
his heart, his lungs,

his liver, his kidneys,

probably his frickin'
chitlings, why not?

Jennifer: Just seeing
the tears in his eyes

and the look on his face
just was priceless for me.

Like, it meant so much to me

to see how much, you
know, it meant to him.

Whoo-hoo!

[ both laugh ]

this is the longest I've gone

with the smallest
amount of food.

And it just really
completed a circle for me

to actually have food in a trap.

Jennifer: I'm very proud of you.

I know you were
getting frustrated

with the building it,

and you didn't think
it was gonna happen,

and you started getting
really down on yourself.

And I think this is kind
of a little kick you needed.

Oh, my god. It
smells like chicken.

Oh, god.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Don't burn yourself.

Sit's pretty delicious.

Mmm.

Who'd have thought
we'd be having ribs?

Trenton: Now that
I've had some food,

I feel like I have enough energy

to make one last push for
protein before extraction.

Got one.

Jennifer: Definitely worried
about the trek to extraction.

We've lost so much weight,
so much muscle mass,

but I'm definitely getting
along with my partner better.

I definitely think
it's important,

especially at this
point in the game

that we're doing this as a team.

Jennifer: I got a
surprise for you.

It's a little grasshopper.

Trenton: I might lose him.

You gonna eat it?

No, that's for you.

Thank you.

I definitely feel like we've
developed a friendship.

Yeah, I wasn't certain
that was gonna happen

at the start, but --

yeah. Yeah.

I feel --

definitely, I'm gonna
text you every day.

[ laughs ]

every single day.

You haven't seen the
last of me, mr. Harper.

I know. Oh, I know.

[ laughs ]

[ thunder rumbles ]

it's pretty chilly
now this morning,

and there is some really
notable thunder and lightning.

Super windy, and
now the rain is starting.

We're stoking the fire,
and we are on a ridge top.

I'm a little concerned
about the lightning.

[ thunder crashing ]

holy [bleep]

it looks like there
might be a fire.

Jennifer: Are you serious?

It must have been from
those lightning strikes.

Narrator: The fire started
on the adjacent ridge.

High winds are blowing
smoke and flames

across the parched
landscape towards the camp.

Narrator: Before setting out on
their 21-day survival challenge

in the steep himalayan
foothills of northern india,

jen and trenton were both given

a primitive survival
rating, or psr.

Jen's sickness greatly
limited her ability

to contribute early on,

and trenton's frustrations grew

with his inability to secure
significant sources of protein.

While their team
dynamic has improved,

they remain weak
and malnourished,

and now, in the face of a
new, unexpected danger...

Trenton: Holy [bleep]

jennifer: Are you serious?

...Their chances of
completing the challenge

and increasing their
ratings are falling quickly.

[ thunder crashing ]

trenton: Holy [bleep]

it looks like there
might be a fire.

Jennifer: Are you serious?

Do you think it's gonna
make its way up here?

We should be ready
to bail if we need to.

Hopefully, we
don't get evacuated.

If we have to move at night,
it's gonna be just difficult.

[bleep]

oh, my god. Can you see that?

Wow.

Narrator: The unexpected fire

makes an already
difficult extraction journey

even more dangerous.

It definitely looks like
there's still active fires.

Yeah.

We'll head towards
that direction

on the ridge, opposite.

To keep a safe
distance from the fire,

jen and trenton have no choice
but to take a less-direct route

to their extraction point,

turning a 6-mile
hike down the ridge

into an 11-mile trek
over several steep hills

to a clearing

where they hope to be
rescued by an evac helicopter.

I feel like the hardest
part may be ahead of us.

It's gonna be a push, for sure.

It's go time.

Let's do this.

This is where it gets steep.

Oh. Careful.

Yep.

Okay. Ooh.

Careful, careful, careful.

Jennifer: I'm
exhausted. I'm weak.

I'm ready to just lay down.

This is a little
bit of a drop-off.

Are you doing all right?

No.

No? Okay.

Not at all.

Bloody hell.

[ sighs ]

what are you feeling,
jen, besides tired?

Oh.

I might puke.

Just take it easy.

Trenton: As we're going
along, and jen's stopping more,

I'm frustrated,

but I'm also reminded
of how important it was

for jen to be positive for me.

So, I'm trying to motivate her.

I feel like I'm gonna yak.

You just got to keep going.

Oh.

Jennifer: The
extraction is just brutal.

It's so much harder
than I imagined.

I have a bad feeling
we have to go up that.

Yeah.

Let's go.

Sorry.

Just got to get
to the shade here.

Whoa.

Huh?

I'm gonna fall over.

Sit in the shade there.

I might pass out.

It's pretty bad.

Every -- every step is --

you just got to keep
going, you know?

Get the, like --

I'm trying.

Feel like I just want to nap.

Try to change
gears in your mind.

I don't want to
disappoint trenton.

I don't want to
disappoint myself.

I just -- I have to keep going.

I didn't make it
this far to quit now.

Come on, jen. We're right here.

The only way through is through,

and she's coming with
me, one way or the other.

[bleep] rock this. Let's just

do you hear what I'm hearing?

If that's not a helicopter, I
don't know what the hell is.

I can hear it.

[ helicopter blades whirring ]

whoo-hoo!

Whoo!

Yeah!

Whoo!

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

It's the end of a journey,

and especially really
awful experiences

are always so wonderful
when they're over.

And that's just what the
helicopter represented.

At the end of the day,
I'm glad that I'm out here

with someone that
ultimately I do like.

Oh, my god.

I'm so happy right now.

I chose to do this
to conquer fears

and to conquer insecurities.

Whoo-hoo!

Whoo!

I definitely achieved
a sense of pride,

a sense of honor,

and I have learned that
I am so much stronger

than I give myself credit for.

Trenton: This was
really good for me

to push out of my comfort zone,

but what I don't want to
do is put myself in a position

where I'm that weak again.

I want to increase my skill set

so that, if I was ever in
anything similar to this,

I would be able
to follow through

with more energy and
actually provide for myself

and sustain myself more.

I'm not saying I won't do it.

I'm just saying, I want
to eat more next time.

[ laughs ]

narrator: Over the course of
the three weeks in udhampur,

the survivalists experienced

a significant physical
transformation.

Jen lost a total of 15 pounds,
while trenton lost 18 pounds.

Despite her sickness
and limited experience,

jen's positivity

and mental fortitude
in the face of adversity

was essential their success.

Trenton almost allowed
his controlling nature

to undermine his expert skills,

but overcame his frustrations
to embrace a team approach.

As a result, jen's score
improves from 6.4 to 6.9,

and trenton's psr
improves from 7.9 to 8.2.

Both survivalists have
now returned home safely.

Oh.

Holy [bleep]

me and my mom decided
to come get pedicures,

and $5 extra for
callous remover.

Narrator: In the end, they
found a way to work together

in the extreme climate
of northern india,

proving they have
what it takes to survive...